Having trouble with train signals

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DarkenDragon
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Having trouble with train signals

Post by DarkenDragon »

so I have attached a screen shot of my game and I cant seem to figure out what im doing wrong.

so the situation is I am using a 2 engine method, so I do not have any loops and Im just pulling and pushing with 2 engines. I also have 2 separate trains trying to go through this path (the second line is unfinished at the moment) so I want to make it so that I dont ever have any train crash so I tried to use signals, but for some reason when I have all my signals in place it says that theres no path. am I putting my signals wrong? do signals not work when theres 2 engines?

from my understanding the way signals are supposed to work is that each signal will divide the track so that if there is a train on the outgoing side, then your train would stop at the signal. so I put a signal at the beginning and the end of each entrance of the shared track.

i've also tried to make a + cross and i've tested it manually driving the train through it and it worked fine, but the auto drive doesnt seem to agree.

am I putting the signals wrong sides?

i've tried putting signals on both sides so that it would work for both coming and going since I have engines on both ends of my train. but that still indicated that there was no path.

so any insight would be helpful
Attachments
Train signal issue.jpg
Train signal issue.jpg (645.39 KiB) Viewed 5799 times

theit8514
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Re: Having trouble with train signals

Post by theit8514 »

Your top signal appears to not be attached to the bottom track, but the top. You've created a split where traffic can only flow from either left or bottom to right. You need a signal on the opposite side of the bottom signal in order for traffic to flow the other way.

When placing that signal, the opposite signal will be highlighted in blue signifying that you are pairing the two together. Paired signals allow traffic both ways.

Image
In this screenshot, traffic can flow any direction on the path.

Image
These two signals are paired, which means traffic can flow both ways across the two blocks (block 12 on the bottom and block 10 inside the 3-way track).

If I had more trains, this could cause a deadlock where one train is waiting to go through the 3-way but a train is already inside it, but at least it prevents crashes.

DarkenDragon
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Re: Having trouble with train signals

Post by DarkenDragon »

I've also tried this method and still my train says no path. All lights were green and I was able to manually drive through it. Im wondering if it is failing because im using a double ended engine train.

theit8514
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Re: Having trouble with train signals

Post by theit8514 »

I haven't done the two-engine system yet, but I had this error when I didn't have doubled signals. YMMV.

If you remove the bottom signal, and put two signals side by side on the area of track that's completely vertical, does it work then?

torham
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Re: Having trouble with train signals

Post by torham »

If the train says no path, even if you remove all of the signals, there is a chance that the track has a missing rail somewhere. This happened to me. It is very hard to see in around the area where the rails split apart. Check all the joins by trying to lay down tracks.

DarkenDragon
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Re: Having trouble with train signals

Post by DarkenDragon »

As I have said, there is no missing track cuz i can manually drive the train right through

sillyfly
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Re: Having trouble with train signals

Post by sillyfly »

It's hard to say without seeing the complete track.
You can try to create a smaller version which still facilitates the problem and upload an image of that. If the saved game isn't too big - you can upload that too (Maybe to some other site which allows larger files).

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ssilk
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Re: Having trouble with train signals

Post by ssilk »

I moved this to help.

There is no easy answer. But there is an way to "debug" this:

- drive with the train by hand to a point on your tracks and then turn on automatic.
- If it still says "no path", drive a bit further by hand.
- Repeat, until you find a point, from where the train suddenly can drive itself. Do you know the number guessing-game: Well, try it like so.
- The problem is then between this point, and the point before.

If there is no point, from where the train can reach it automatically: Have you checked, if the train can reach the train stop in the incoming direction?
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DarkenDragon
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Re: Having trouble with train signals

Post by DarkenDragon »

I have taken the signals off before and the train works fine so the track isnt the problem, its the way the signals are placed. I'll try to upload the save when i get back from work. But yea that whole section is pretty much it. The ends of each path is a dead end train stop since im using a 2 engine system. Which im starting to believe is the problem. Im just not sure

sillyfly
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Re: Having trouble with train signals

Post by sillyfly »

What route are you trying which isn't working? What are the other routes being used?
I can see one potentially problematic thing - the track going up is in the same block as the top one going to the right. That means that if you have a train going between the top and the top-right stops no other train can ever use the track going to the station to the top-right.
That is - assuming you don't have any other signals going up or going right.

DarkenDragon
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Re: Having trouble with train signals

Post by DarkenDragon »

ok...... thats weird, I just jumped on and found my trains working now without touching it. guess it was just a bug that only worked after restarting the game? *shrugs*

jakobeng1303
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Re: Having trouble with train signals

Post by jakobeng1303 »

I'm having the same problems, but before the last update everything was fine so I assume it's bug

Tirou
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Re: Having trouble with train signals

Post by Tirou »

I find it quite surprising that it works ....

On your screenshot, they are 2 packs of signals you are using, on top left (2 branches) and top right (3 branches)
You use only one-way signals (signals just by one side of the rails). Considering that the train must keep the signal to his right, your first block o signals (top left of your sceenshot) indicates that your train can only go from West to Est (on this section) while the second signal block (top right of the screen) indicates that you train can only go from Est to West .....

If your train works, you actualy have a bug.

If you want a double way section, you'll have to put a double signalisation (2 signals, one on each side of the rail, at the same level).

For more detailes, consider a tutorial about train signalisation like OpenTTD (the devs are know to be fans of this one)
(A french one is here : http://www.openttd.fr/article.php?story ... 4050642619 )

ian.sinopoli
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Re: Having trouble with train signals

Post by ian.sinopoli »

I had similar issues with a rail system in which there were several sections of the rail network that were combined directions. The problem seemed to be related to the stations facing. Even though I had enough sidings and areas to turn around, I often got a no path error. I finally simplified my design by making the entire network a single direction and this resolved all the problems.

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